When common birds perform uncommon behaviors it catches my eye. And hopefully my lens. This was a behavior completely new to me for this species.
1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Yesterday morning while photographing birds on Glover Pond we noticed this White-faced Ibis in an unusual pose. But what seemed particularly strange was how long the pose was held – it was easily over a minute with the only movement from the bird during that time being a slight and very slow change in head angle. Otherwise the bird was like a statue. Eventually the ibis put its left wing down and pulled its right wing back up and began to preen normally.
A little research when I got home revealed what was going on – the ibis was sunbathing. The following is from BNA Online. I love that (paid) resource and recommend it highly:
- “Adults and juveniles fluff plumage and orient toward sun; juveniles (but apparently not adults) stand upright with 1 wing spread upward and other extended downward, orienting body toward sun during cool morning hours”.
I find it fascinating that only juveniles perform the behavior (and wonder why that’s the case). To make the events of the day a little stranger we saw another far away ibis in a different pond doing the same thing later that morning – twice in one morning when I’d never seen it before with a species that is very common around here. Pretty interesting I thought.
But just because it was new to me doesn’t necessarily mean it’s particularly unusual. I’d be interested in knowing how often others may have observed this sunbathing behavior in White-faced or Glossy Ibis…
Ron
Serendipity. Yesterday I went for a wander at our local lake hunting for a family of cygnets I had been told was there. I didn’t find the cygnets but had a wonderful wander anyway. And one of the highlights was a pied cormorant sunning itself quietly on a rock at the edge of the water. I watched it for five or ten minutes at least and it only moved to get a better angle of sun on its head and outstretched wings. Half a world away in a different season my cormorant was in much the same pose as your ibis. A pose which doesn’t strike me as comfortable. Beautiful, fascinating, but not comfortable.
Yes, interesting timing, Elephant’s Child. And I agree, it doesn’t look comfortable. In fact it looks painful – reminds me of a track coach I had in high school who made us hold our arms straight out and rotate them for a very long time as a form of exercise. He delighted in our pain…
I had a physical education teacher who did that, which is probably why I thought it looked a painful pose. Vicious. And I can’t remember her leading by example. Just as some people shouldn’t be parents some people shouldn’t be teachers.
“Just as some people shouldn’t be parents some people shouldn’t be teachers.”
Agreed, Elephant’s Child. Wholeheartedly. By far most of the teachers I worked with in my teaching career were dedicated and skilled in the classroom and quite a few were incredibly gifted in dealing with students but I can think of a few (very few) that should never have been allowed to set foot in another school after their own education.
I have only seen ibis in the wild a couple of times – they were white ibis on Ocracoke Island (NC Outer Banks). The one bird I have seen sunbathing was a roadrunner, who was doing it on a sunny but quite cold day. It looked as if it had been able to part the feathers on its back to expose the skin to the sun. This ibis photo is another one that gets me feeling all crazy trying to figure out what I’m seeing. I get the stretched out wing, and I can see the tail, but the body just looks really strange to me. Vision tests are good…
Susan, I think the body looks strange to you because the front of the right wing behind and in front of the bird looks like part of the body and distorts its shape.
I love how much I learn here. 😀 Sometimes I find myself surprised that there is no homework assigned. 😀 You are a very kind man to share so much.
How kind of you to say so, Arwen. No homework for you for an entire week!
I’ve seen cormorants out in the middle of the ocean perched on a bobbing log with their wings outstretched like this.
Our family of crows used a spot on our lawn to sunbathe and relax. The lay there with wings all stretched out open. I’d never seen this before and felt a kinship– I love laying in the sun too!
Sounds like your crows were having fun in the sun, Suze. I’ve never understood how black birds (ravens and crows esp) can stand the heat from direct sunlight when the weather’s warm.
Interesting, saw Turkey Vultures holding their wings out the other afternoon. I wondered why, since it wasn’t cold or wet. Do vultures sunbath too?
Jo, vultures and cormorants are well-known for holding their wings out to the sun. Some think that vultures do it so the UV in sunlight can kill microbes on their feathers from the putrid meals they often eat.
We get lots of White Faced Ibis out at Vic Fazio Wildlife Area near Sacramento in California. I’ve spent many hours watching them and have never seen (or noticed) this behavior. Thanks for the info–I’ll watch for the behavior next time they are passing through.
Thanks for the feedback on your experience with ibis behavior, Sharon.
Interesting behavior…some of the smaller birds I’ve raised have done something similar, maling their feathers stand on end so the sun can reach their skin…especially the Grackles and sparrows…have also seen small wild birds, like Chickadees, sit on a ledge above the barn door and along the cross rails of a stockade fence, sunbathing. Some one told me that giving them turtle vitamin drops helps provide the viamin D they need from the sun.
Agreed, Patty – quite a few birds sunbathe and they do it for more than one reason. I’d just never seen an ibis do it before.
Great shot and very interesting behavior Ron!
Charlotte
Thanks, Charlotte.
What a beauty. You always put a smile on my face with your wonderful pictures.
I love providing smiles, Jean. Thank you.